


Intrusive

by Darkhymns



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Desperation, Established Relationship, F/M, Intimacy, Jealousy, Kissing, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 02:37:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15160616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkhymns/pseuds/Darkhymns
Summary: Lloyd feels that Zelos is already overstaying his welcome when he drops by for a visit to Iselia. But Colette doesn't seem to mind, so really, isn't he just overreacting?





	Intrusive

**Author's Note:**

> Another mature-rated Colloyd fic. Playing with ideas that I hope is at least somewhat entertaining!

“And _then,_ when I told that guy to shove off to leave them beauties alone, the whole street applauded!” Zelos gestured to said road they were on, as if the event had taken place in this very spot. “Yeah, I was a hero that day. Though not any different from any other day honestly!”

Colette brought her hands up in a clasp, perfectly attentive to Zelos’ storytelling. “Wow! That was really kind of you.”

“Ah, I know. All in a day’s work!”

Both Chosens were so engrossed in the other, barely noticing Lloyd who tried to keep up with their long strides.

“Hey-” he struggled with the luggage in his hands, courtesy of Zelos who had taken up on Lloyd’s offer to take it all back to the house, all 6 bags of it. “Guys, wait up!”

But his voice was muffled through some of the luggage covering his face. That and Zelos was leaning close to Colette and whispering, sharing some conspiratorial secret. She giggled soon afterwards, covering her mouth with her hands.

Lloyd was doing all he could to catch up. His foot bumped against an upturned stone in his rush, but caught himself in time before he dropped everything. “Ah!”

Colette turned. “Oh, Lloyd! I can help-”

“Nah, my little angel. Bud’s got this!” Zelos wrapped an arm around Colette’s shoulder, bringing her forward. “Besides, I haven’t gotten to the best part yet! Wanna hear how the Great Zelos Wilder was carried by the crowd’s shoulders after defending those beautiful ladies?”

“Oh! I guess so!” Still Colette turned her head back to Lloyd, though Zelos kept diverting her attention. With a grin, he leaned close again just as they turned a corner of the road, where Dirk’s house finally came into view.

Meanwhile, Lloyd was still in a precarious battle with the luggage and the path ahead. What did Zelos even bring? It felt like literal rocks were packed in these bags! With gritted teeth, Lloyd pressed on. Zelos also hadn’t released his arm from Colette, and somehow, more than anything, that irked Lloyd the most.

* * *

“What did you bring your entire closet for?” Dirk asked, his voice coarse with gravel and annoyance.

Lloyd’s back was aching when he finally set the luggage down at a corner of the house. He was just glad they had no extra rooms upstairs for him to drag all that weight up, too.

“Now a guy’s gotta look prepared for whatever the day brings,” Zelos answered, already taking his seat at the main table. “As the representative of the King of Tethe’alla, I need to look my best.”

Lloyd frowned. “Zelos, you literally wear the same thing every day.”

“Look who’s talking!”

Dirk, seeing everything mostly settled, went back to his metalsmithing. “Aye, just keep a wide berth from me during working hours and we’ll have no trouble housing you here.”

“No problem.” Zelos then proceeded to prop his feet up on a chair. “I gotta get up bright and early tomorrow for my meeting with the public anyway.”

It was the only reason why he was here. With the world’s reunited, there have been a few hiccups in the way of getting along with one another. Tethe’alla’s monarchy clashed with the self-governing villages of Sylvarant, and the differences in each other’s advances of magitechnology was able to make each side as different as day was from night. Essentially, both Tethe’alla and Sylvarant needed to communicate with each other better for peace to go uninterrupted.

“I thought this was Sheena’s job.” Lloyd voiced aloud, stretching out his back for some much-needed relief. “Isn’t she the ambassador?”

Zelos shrugged. “Mizuho stuff came up. Besides, this is a good excuse to see my best bud and my sweetest angel!” He emphasized that by grabbing Colette’s hand and bringing her near. “And aren’t you two glad to see your best friend in this whole wide world?”

“We are very happy to see you!” Colette answered for both her and Lloyd. “After Grandma helps gather everyone in the village for you, we can all hang out somewhere!”

“Sounds great, hunny. Though I think I’m going to need Lloyd here to help unpack my stuff. Gotta get it all sorted out, you know.”

Lloyd found his voice immediately. “I’m not doing any of that!”

“Quiet down!” Dirk shouted, setting in the mold for his latest craft. “Can’t concentrate with all your yammering.”

“Yeah, bud. Have some courtesy.”

Since when did Zelos become _this_ annoying?

Not much happened besides Lloyd kicking away the luggage to be out of anyone’s path and Zelos continuing to talk to Colette. And they were certainly talking for quite a while. When Lloyd sat at the table with them, neither seemed to even acknowledge his existence. Colette was really, really paying attention to him, all while Zelos continued to tell her his amazing encounters in the world after their quest together.

“So, just to reiterate, there were _five_ puppies that were struggling in the river, and me, the noble human being that I am, dove in to save them! Did I mention the water was below freezing? I was knocked out for a week after that.”

Colette’s eyes were wide. “Were the puppies okay? Did they get sick or hurt?”

“Nah. Luckily, I came by just in the nick of time. Sort of a gift of mine, really.”

Between the sounds of his father working, Zelos’ loud laughter (Dad didn’t tell _him_ to quiet down) and Colette’s soft gasps of intrigue, Lloyd’s head was buzzing. Zelos kept patting Colette’s shoulder, sometimes brushing aside a strand of her blonde hair, all while she didn’t even seem to register the action.

But Lloyd did.

By the time Dirk had finally finished his project and went outside to complete some gardening, Zelos finally seemed to be winding down. “You know, even though the King wanted to make _another_ holiday in my name, I had to turn it down. I’m a busy man! I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it when I left Meltokio.” He stretched out his arms, leaning against the back of his chair. “Speaking of busy, I’m drained. Probably need my beauty sleep.”

Colette looked out the window then, greeted to the dusk of a darkening sky. “Oh! I have to get back home.” She stood up. Lloyd quickly followed.

“Hey, want me to come with?”

“That’s okay. I can just fly there. That way you and Zelos can catch up!”

“Yeah, bud! Let’s spend some quality time together!” Zelos said with a wink.

Lloyd didn’t feel like responding to him, keeping his eyes on Colette. “You sure? I can probably fly with you this time.” Maybe. His wings were weird and didn’t like to obey and he didn’t always feel comfortable using them when he even could. But if it meant he could spend time with Colette, he’d deal.

Colette shook her head. “I know you’re still tired from carrying everything. I’ll see you tomorrow!” But before she left, she came forward to give him a kiss on the cheek, soft and sweet.

Once she left, he could then feel Zelos’ eyes on his back, which still ached by the way. “What is it?”

“Just still amazed you two finally hit it off. I was about to lose my bet with Sheena.”

He edged an eyebrow. “…You better not have taken a lot from her.”

“Hey, she’s the new Chief! She’s making all the money now.” Zelos put his arms behind his head, once again putting his feet on a wooden chair. “Lucky though that you got little miss angel when you did.” He gave another wink. “Could have missed your chance.”

Now, Lloyd knew the guy was just teasing. That’s what he always did; joke and tease and generally just be a nuisance, while playing the fool that he really wasn’t. Still… Lloyd was irritated.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Zelos waved away Lloyd’s question. “All’s well that ends well, yeah?”

Lloyd had no idea what that meant. “Uh… sure?”

“Man, my high-class nature is wasted on you country bumpkins.”

And yet, while they talked and argued over inane things, while Zelos tried (and failed) to trade off him sleeping in Lloyd’s room while Lloyd took the dining room floor, still something felt off in the atmosphere.

It was the image of Zelos’ arm around Colette. Too much.

* * *

He and Colette had only gotten together three months ago, though it was hard to pinpoint the day. It had come upon them gradually, so that even when they kissed, it had not seemed so out of the norm.

Still, nothing much had changed between them beside the occasional hand-holding and quick kiss on the cheek. In fact, when they had gone back to Iselia for a break from their journey, most people hadn’t even known them to be a couple now – not unless either Lloyd or Colette said so directly.

Lloyd was happy in that constant. Nothing needed to change between them, because he had always cared about her – just now with the added comfort of her being near.

And yet, the moment Zelos had come by to visit, he hadn’t felt easy about anything at all.

Both Zelos and Colette still talked a lot with each other. Even when Zelos was supposed to be ‘working.’ As he spoke with the Church, with the confused townspeople that had never heard even a whisper of the world of Tethe’alla, he insisted on having Colette near.

“She’s my good luck charm,” he said in an aside from Lloyd. “You know what’s better than one beautiful person speaking to a crowd?”

“I don’t-”

 “ _Two_ beautiful people speaking to a crowd, of course.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“I mean, three would have been nice, but you’re gonna need to lose those suspenders if you want to have any chance of matching up to me. Also, conditioner is a thing, dude.”

Whenever Zelos spoke to a group of people, about the King’s willingness to reconnect with his Sylvarant brethren, and his reassurance to not upend their self-governance, Colette was by his side.

And Lloyd was always one step behind them.

“You are the Chosen of the other world?” one middle-aged woman had asked, marveling at Zelos’ refined clothes, his long hair, and whatever else Zelos had told Lloyd about earlier that day. The group stood just outside the schoolhouse.

“I am, my lovely. And as a Chosen, I seek to help all people, both of my world and the next.”

“And he’s already helped so many people so far!” Colette chimed in with her approval.

The woman smiled. “To see two Chosens together like this, I never thought I’d see the day! You are both so lovely together!”

Zelos took that as a cue to encircle an arm around Colette’s shoulders.

Again.

“That we are, that we are. And together, we will certainly help all of you,” Zelos said with a flourish.

Lloyd, once again off to the side, didn’t feel good. About any of this.

* * *

It was when he and the rest went back to Colette’s house that he felt he had to say something. Colette had gone up to her room to gather some things, while Frank and Phaidra were currently out. This left Zelos and Lloyd, with the former snooping around the other Chosen’s home.

“You know, for a backwater place, you guys got some nice aesthetics around here.”

“Zelos, why are you looking through their kitchen cupboards?”

“Because I’m starving! Don’t tell me you didn’t grab a snack from here when you come by.”

Okay, that was true, but this wasn’t the time. Lloyd shook away Zelos’ words from his head to find his own.

“Hey, can I ask you a favor?”

“Depends. I’ve been doing quite a bunch of favors for many people-”

Lloyd ignored all that to push through. “Can you… stop… being so…” he searched for the right word. “You?”

Zelos turned to him with a befuddled look. “Okay, one, that is not only impossible but rude to deprive the world of myself, and two…what the heck do you mean by that?”

Agh, this came out all wrong. But Lloyd was never one to hide his feelings on something, and he tried to convey that to Zelos in the best way he could. “You know! Like… when you get all touchy with Colette, I think, it’s just kinda weird sometimes? Also, it seems more than usual?” Why was he saying things like they were questions? The hell? “I mean, I don’t know.”

He expected a little anger from Zelos. After all, he had just asked Zelos to stop being himself, but instead the guy smirked, striding up to Lloyd with all the smug satisfaction in the world.

“Dude,” Zelos started. “Are you jealous?”

Lloyd blinked. The word couldn’t seem to register in his head. It left him floundering in the dark for a solid five seconds. “I, uh, what?”

“And here I thought you were the easy-going type.” Zelos raised an eyebrow. “Geez, bud. Doesn’t look good on you.”

“I’m not-” Lloyd continued to struggle. “I’m not jealous. I just think it’s a little much and all.”

“Oh, is that so? You’re afraid I’m going to make a move on her?”

“What? No!” Was he though? Was that what he had been doing? “I know you wouldn’t, just… it’s weird, okay!”

“Alright, so I should just go back to being touchy with you, right?” Before Lloyd could protest, Zelos had fully embraced him, rubbing the other’s cheek with his own. “Don’t worry! You’ll be my only hunny from now on!”

“Agh! Cut it out!” He shoved Zelos a little, though he was madder at Zelos’ disdain for his request than for invading his personal space again. “Look, I was just asking, alright?”

“Sorry, sorry. Hey, I hear you loud and clear. Colette is totally off-limits!”

“Were you two calling for me? I heard my name.” Colette just then walked down the stairs, eyes in a questioning glance.

At that moment, Zelos grinned then swooped over to Colette before either she or Lloyd could react. “Angel! Hunny!” He picked her up off her feet, then embraced her tightly. “I’ve been missing you all this time! Thought I would die of a broken heart!”

“Ah! Zelos!?” Colette cried, a little shocked at the sudden affection. “Um, I was only gone for a little bit!”

It was a joke. Clearly, Zelos loved making dumb jokes like this. Like when he would comment on Sheena’s body, or make fun of Genis’ height. He always provoked, and Lloyd knew that deep down, Zelos didn’t mean any of that. He had gone through a lot to help them reunite the worlds.

But none of that mattered, because suddenly Lloyd was furious.

“Zelos!” He grabbed the redhead’s shoulder, making him loosen his grip on Colette. She was back on solid ground. “Knock it off!”

“Man, you seriously _that_ pissed off?”

Colette looked from one to the other, confused. “Is something wrong?”

Lloyd suddenly had the vivid image of shoving Zelos out the front door, but knew immediately that wasn’t right. None of this was right. Why was he feeling like this? But no matter what, the anger just wouldn’t leave him at all.

He needed to calm down by leaving. Yet at the same time, he didn’t want to leave Colette with Zelos. Not like anything would happen. What did he think would even happen? What was actually wrong with him?

He took Colette’s hand suddenly and headed upstairs.

“Lloyd?” he heard her say.

“Uh, bud?”

Colette didn’t resist his pull, going with him up the stairs. Zelos kept talking, raising his voice to be heard over the distance.

“Lloyd! Come on, you _know_ I was kidding!”

He didn’t want to hear anything and continued bringing Colette to the upper floor, finally going into her room. He shut the door behind them, leaned his back against it, and immediately regretted everything.

He should’ve just not said anything.

“Gah, I’m so stupid,” he murmured, while Colette stood by his side. He still held her hand, though not so tightly. Did he really just force her up here?

“Lloyd…” Colette squeezed his hand. “If there’s something bothering you…”

That was the issue. There was way too much bothering him. Out there. Anywhere. Only being in Colette’s room with her was enough to help calm his mind, at least a little.

“It’s just…” He shook his head. “It’s just dumb things,” he said with great eloquence.

Colette, however, seemed to pick things up. “Is this about Zelos?” She paused. “And what he did downstairs?”

_Just say yes,_ he thought to himself. _Don’t make it a big deal._ “More than that,” he said and instantly wanted to kick himself.

Despite not following up with more questions, Colette seemed to think about his response. She then pulled at his hand. “Why don’t we sit?”

There was a small table, softly padded chairs, and even a sofa placed to the far-right side of the wall. Colette’s room was bigger than his, filled with belongings that had been befitting of her Chosen status, with materials to keep her comfortable, and a shelf full of books to keep her mindful. (Most of them transcripts of Martel’s teachings).

But instead she took him to seat themselves on the edge of her bed. He didn’t think much of that, his head still buzzing with insults of himself.

“So… maybe let’s start at the beginning.” Fingers interlocked with his own, setting them against her knee. “It’s probably to do with yesterday, right?”

Lloyd wasn’t sure if he even wanted to talk about it. But Colette was here and listening to him, giving him the attention he had already missed from just a day ago. There was that need in him, to take what he could before Zelos – or anyone, really – could distract her from him once more.

“I’m sorry. It was because I didn’t help with the luggage. I really meant to…”

“No, no,” he said immediately. “That… wasn’t really the problem.” He should’ve just dumped all that stuff in the river. Ugh, if only he had thought of that at the time!

Colette blinked, her thumb rubbing against the back of his hand. “Zelos then?”

Lloyd shrugged, too busy giving a brooding stare at the floor.

“Does he seem different to you? I’m not sure I noticed.”

“He kept touching you.”

“Huh?”

He hadn’t meant to say that, but thinking about it just fueled the anger again. Lloyd had to take a breath, so that he could actually speak like a normal person. “Just, you know. He was all over you yesterday! And today! And just now!” Shit, he hadn’t meant to yell. He clamped his mouth shut, looking away again.

Colette didn’t react to his tone, instead continuing to look at him curiously. “Well, him picking me up like that was kinda strange… But everything else seems… normal for him?” She smiled. “Remember last time when we visited him? He kept trying to braid your hair!”

“Yeah, I guess…” Lloyd consented, but only slightly. His scalp itched at the memory. “But he keeps hanging onto you and…” He realized then. “You just seemed okay with it.”

No answer came from her, which made him instantly regret what he said. “I mean! Not that you did anything.”

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t know it was hurting you.”

“But that’s the thing! It shouldn’t hurt me! It’s just what Zelos always does, so I don’t know why it now seems…” His emotions were so on-edge, and he only wanted them to stop. “Colette,” he said then, turning to her.

She didn’t seem to expect that, and had to clear her throat. “What is it?”

“Do you think I overreacted downstairs?” he asked her, looking at her, and trusting all that she said.

He saw her considering it… he saw her considering it a lot, actually. “Well, maybe just… a little?” She giggled soon afterwards, but it was too late. Whatever confidence Lloyd had was already gone.

“Aaaah, damn it!”

“It’s okay though! It’s not wrong to get mad about things. And it’s my fault for not realizing.”

“But I was acting stupid.” He leaned back in her bed, groaning in embarrassment. “And now I just made it all weird.”

Zelos was probably still hanging out by himself downstairs. What would he say to Frank and Phaidra when he got back? This was getting too complex and all because he couldn’t keep his dumb anger in check.

“Lloyd, it’s okay,” she reassured. “Zelos is our friend, so I’m sure he won’t mind if we ask him to stop.”

He still laid back, hands over his face as he went over all his mistakes for the day.

Colette went quiet. She looked down at her hands, placed in her lap neatly. “And also, I think like… it makes me feel nice?”

That… caught him off guard. He sat up quickly to face her. “What do you mean?”

There was a bit of nervousness on her face, but she still smiled. “I just like that you feel so strongly about me! That I, um… that I really mean that much to you.” She wrenched her eyes away from her lap to meet with his gaze. “I’m sorry if that doesn’t make sense.”

Hearing those words seemed to click something within him. Still holding her hand, he brought her close, leaving so much room on one side of the bed. “You dork. Of course you mean a lot to me.”

There was a blush on her cheeks, but she nodded as well. “You mean a lot to me, too.”

They had only truly taken this new step together for a short time, but it felt natural for Lloyd to lean in and kiss her. She responded in kind, kissing him lightly on the lips. A soft gasp escaped her mouth once they separated. Their hands stayed interlocked, the sun from the outside slipping through Colette’s windows to land on the bed, along with them.

Then Lloyd realized he needed to kiss her again.

He wasn’t sure where that came from. Maybe it was the way she looked, or what she had said before. But he leaned forward to kiss her deep, one hand slipping around her back, while the other clasped her hand.

She made a surprised sound at his insistence, though still kissed him back. Somewhere, or from someone, there was a moan, making him bring her even closer.

“Colette…” he whispered, and he thought he felt her shake.

“Are we…?” she started to ask, but both took another kiss from the other. His arms cradled her waist, while her own encircled around his neck.

It was the need he had, one that wanted to taste her mouth, to touch her where he could. In all their time together, they had never gone beyond curling up around the other by the campfire, content enough to sleep. Now, Lloyd had to bring Colette close to his chest, his tongue moving past her lips to reach where they could. With soft sounds, she moved closer to him, and there was something in her voice that made him shake a little.

He held her close. He held her like he never wanted to share her with the world any longer.

He had done it before.

One hand slipped underneath her overcoat, pressing against the dress that hugged her waist. His fingers engulfed that curve of hers’, and it was enough to feel the heat that dulled his thinking. There was something about her shape, about her being here at all, that made him want to take hold and never let go.

The kiss ended only for him to latch his mouth onto her neck. Colette flinched, but she didn’t pull away from the touch. Both hands of his now took hold of her waist as his lips dressed down to her collarbone. The golden bands of her crest were still there, but he kissed the skin around it. He could feel one hand of hers’ curling into the back of his hair.

“Aah…” She gasped sharply, leaning into his mouth, into his teeth that took her skin gently. She arched against him and soon she was all he could feel. Not even the sun was as warm.

Sitting up became too uncomfortable. He had to lay her down. Her bed was soft, tucked in with several layers of blankets that they both could get lost in.

By the time she was underneath him, he had already unlaced her dress partway. Some part of him yelled that this was too fast, that he didn’t know what he was doing, but that need for her took him apart.

He wanted her, and wanted no one else to have her.

“Lloyd, you’re shaking,” Colette called out to him. Her hands placed themselves at his shoulders, fingers rubbing underneath the collar of his jacket.

“Sorry,” he told her, eyes drawn to the reveal of her skin. Her dress had opened around her chest, showing off the pure white of her brassiere. He found that his hands kept going, pulling at the hidden buttons to show her stomach. He hadn’t even asked her if all this was okay…

“Do you need to stop?” she asked him. Those same fingers felt good against his neck, and the urge to kiss her again was so overwhelming.

He looked at her. “Do you want me to?”

Her leg went around his waist, closing in any remaining gaps between them. He found her mouth against his before even realizing it, and his tongue pushed through desperately. His hand continued to trace her bare skin, one cupping her covered breast as their hips pressed together.

Colette moaned into his mouth as he did so. His jacket was suffocating him so much, and he was only able to unbutton the front in time, so that her own hands had new terrain to wander over. He didn’t want to let go of her mouth, and he didn’t want to stop running his hands everywhere.

It was so, so much. Her sounds, her warmth, and the way her hips met his with each motion he initiated. Details of what should be done never made their mark in his head. All he knew was that he wanted to touch her and love her, and never have her with anyone else. She clung to him, and didn’t seem to shy away from how their hips grinded, or from the obvious. He hadn’t meant it to happen like this, he hadn’t, but he felt the warmth between her thighs, and how it seemed to meet his own through their clothes.

He couldn’t calm down. He knew he kept shaking, but he just wanted to taste her and ride out the emotions that had not left him alone the entire day. A hand had slipped up her bra, finding softness so malleable and addictive. She gasped into him at that, and just the sensation of it made him so dizzy…

Then suddenly Colette sat up. She hit her forehead against his, which killed any of the soft pleasantness straight away.

“Ow!”

“Sorry! I’m sorry!” Colette pressed her hand against his forehead, though her eyes kept shifting past his shoulder. “I just, um… I thought I heard the front door open. And… grandmother’s voice.”

Lloyd then remembered where they were. Frank and Phaidra must have come back. The urge to hit himself was so very strong.

“Shit, I didn’t mean-” He looked at Colette, half-undressed, one button seemingly torn, and realized he had done that. And now he was going to get her in trouble. “I messed up so much already.”

“No, no, please Lloyd.” Though she kept one hand near his face, the other tried to get her dress back in a more decent state. “It’s okay. Let’s just get ready to go outside.”

“Uh, I, um.” Lloyd stepped away a bit awkwardly. His eyes moved downwards then back to Colette’s face. “I can’t… I can’t go out like this.”

Colette was quick to notice what pressed against his trousers, the same thing that had just been grinding against her not long before. It was just so… _right there_. He also hadn’t meant for her to… experience this part of him, at least not like this.

“Is there something I can do to help?” she asked him. She had gotten herself fixed up now, her dress not so wrinkled, and her hair more or less back to neatness. She started to help button up his jacket again, being near him. Yet right now that nearness only made him more… excited.

He stepped back from her. “Sorry, I think I need to... just, wait for it to go away.” Agh, he felt so awkward about everything now. He was sporting a boner for his girlfriend and couldn’t do anything about it!

Colette seemed to understand what he meant and nodded. “Okay. I can just go downstairs and talk with them? And tell them you’re just here to blow off some steam!”

He wanted to tell her that he wanted her here still. That he wanted to kiss her and feel her and that, right now, he didn’t care at all about the outside world.

But he had to care now. And that was what made him feel so frustrated with himself.

“Sure, I’ll catch up,” he agreed. “Ten minutes, tops.” His voice stalled for a moment on his next question. _But did you enjoy that? Did I scare you? Was that… even what you wanted at all?_

Colette stepped towards him quickly to give him a light kiss on the cheek. His skin tingled at the touch, bringing back fresh memories of her lips against his and the sounds that came from them. “I’ll see you soon.”

When she left the room, he faceplanted onto her bed so that he could yell into her sheets. His voice stayed muffled but he knew his own words. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Why did he think doing that was even okay? He probably frightened her off, and he couldn’t blame her for that.

As he waited for his arousal to pass, he continued to lay there, finding familiar strands of blond hair on one of the pillows. He just wanted to have her all to himself. To be alone with her again in a large world. Yet, for one day he couldn’t have just put his feelings to the side. Not with Zelos here, not with being in her busy home, or anything else. He’s not sure how his rage against Zelos turned to desperate passion for Colette in the span of five minutes, but it had happened, and all it did was make a mess of things.

At the very least, he could stay in her bed until he was ready, the sheets still warm from them both.

* * *

Things were awkward when he finally came back downstairs. Frank and Phaidra were none the wiser. But Zelos had that _look_ on him, suspicious, and maybe full of intrigue? Lloyd had to resist the urge to punch him straight away. Was this what Sheena felt like all the time?

The day was only halfway through, so Zelos had to continue speaking with the populace, still cracking jokes and making banter with an easy smile. Colette wasn’t as near to him this time, mostly conversing with the priests when she needed to. It didn’t make Lloyd feel any better at all. She was probably staying away from Zelos because of how he reacted, and he hated himself for it. The tension between the three was palpable, one that could have been so easily avoided if he just kept his mouth shut.

He honestly didn’t really want to deal with this anymore, so it had to be Zelos to confront it.

“Still mad at me, bud?”

They were at the front gates, where Lloyd was patting Noishe’s ears and slipping him a snack he had borrowed from Genis’ kitchen. Even after saving the world, the guards still didn’t let the dog through. Honestly, some fights were not worth having. Noishe seemed fine waiting for him anyway. Colette had already gone home, waving them a goodbye that Lloyd kept replaying in his head.

Hearing Zelos speak to him, Lloyd inwardly groaned. “Nah, just… tired.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

Lloyd turned, wanting to ask what the hell he meant. But Zelos wasn’t smirking or anything like that. He stared at Lloyd with crossed arms, suddenly seeming much older than he usually acted.

“Look, what I did was really stupid. I didn’t mean to get you all worked up about it. Honest. I know how much Colette means to you, and it wasn’t fair to make fun of you for it. I wasn’t thinking, so…” Zelos shrugged, and then that brief seriousness left his face. “Truce?”

Noishe was currently preoccupied with an irritating itch, leaving Lloyd no other distraction except for the Chosen. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Even though part of him still didn’t believe it, he pushed that feeling away. _Don’t be stupid right now._ “It’s fine, alright?”

Zelos didn’t seem to accept that right away. “Is it though?”

“Yeah, really!” _Just drop it, please_. “I just act dumb sometimes. So… it’s fine. I made it a big deal when it wasn’t.”

Then there was something in Zelos’ expression that he couldn’t read. Considering? Remembering? He wished they could just move on from this.

Suddenly, Zelos’ face sported a wide and mischievous grin. “Hehe, I get it. I know the _real_ reason why you wanted me to stop doting on our sweet little angel. I was just joking about it before, but I can see now that it’s true.” One eyebrow edged in a leer.

“Uh… What are you talking abo- No, no wait!”

Even with ample warning, Lloyd was still unable to escape the bear hug Zelos gave him. The Chosen had practically pounced on him, his arms wrapped tightly around Lloyd’s torso. “My best bud was missing me too much! From now on, my eyes are only for you, hunny~”

Lloyd was trying to struggle free, but Zelos had him in a fierce grip. “Agh, let me go! Jackass!”

“Now while I can’t completely ignore Colette, just know all my affections will be for you and you only, buddy. Well, until I get back to my hunnies.” Zelos then shook his head, forlorn. “It’s such a curse being me. I just leave broken hearts everywhere, no matter the gender!”

“Zelos!”

Noishe was wagging his tail thoughtfully, watching the two of them struggle. It eventually shifted to Lloyd gaining the upper hand, grabbing Zelos in a headlock where he was careful to not actually crush a windpipe. (Though the temptation was real).

Still, their antics had been done in fun instead of anger. At least with Zelos, Lloyd hadn’t ruined things.

At least.

* * *

After three days, Zelos would finally be leaving in the morning.

Even after much prodding and way too many advances, Lloyd turned down his offer of switching their rooms every single time. Right now, the redhead was curled up in blankets on the floors, the heat from the fireplace already making his eyes heavy. Lloyd had left for bed soon afterwards (but not before cleaning up Zelos’ messes when he had disturbed the arrangement of his father’s tools), yet sleep wasn’t easy for him to grasp.

There was still too much in his head. He hadn’t spoken much with Colette since that time in her room. They were supposed to go traveling together again, but hadn’t he already made things awkward between them? Everything had been going at a great pace for them. Did she even want to be alone with him anymore?

He placed his pillow over his face, trying to shut out his thoughts. It didn’t really work.

_I screwed up so bad. So stupid. Stupid! Maybe if I just leave right now… then she won’t have to deal with me anymore. She always says how she misses home. Why would she want to be near a dumb freak like me? She’ll be too nice to say so. I’m already packed, so…maybe…_

Tap tap!

The sound came from his balcony door, gently, barely noticeable. But it got Lloyd sitting up in his bed straight away, throwing his venting pillow to the side.

“Lloyd?” A pause. “Are you awake?”

He must have crossed the length of his room in one step or so, nearly yanking open the balcony door in his rush. Colette flinched at how fast he appeared before her, enough to have her trip backwards.

“Oh crap! Sorry!” Lloyd reached out to her.

“I’m sorry, I was just-” Colette started, but she had trouble speaking suddenly. He pulled her up to her feet, one hand gripping her shoulder.

“Why are you out here so late?” Even his father had long gone to bed, and Dirk often worked overtime for his commissions.

“I know, I’m sorry.” She brought her hands up, fingers pressed together, fidgeting them slightly. “I was wondering if… we can talk a bit?”

He saw the faint afterimage of her wings, still imprinted in the air after she long dismissed them. He could even see the feathers of mana floating away, caught by the breeze.

“Sure. You could have just knocked on the front door though.” Taking her hand, he let her inside. She was shivering a bit from the chill.

“I know. But I thought everyone would be sleeping, and I didn’t want… um…” She looked down. “Sorry.”

“Okay, you don’t need to apologize, come on.” But he said it gently. They stood near his desk, where a smattering of materials laid on the oak surface. Metal engravings, carefully forged chains, and tools of the trade; all haphazardly thrown together. He saw her eyes stray to that spot, and suddenly he wished he had fixed up the mess. “So, uh, what’s going on?”

She still didn’t answer him right away. Her eyes kept themselves riveted to the floor, with only furtive glances to his chest when she dared raise her head. Though he squeezed her hand to talk, she only clamped her lips tighter.

“Is this about…” he started to ask, dreading it, but could only find himself coming to that conclusion. All the terrible thoughts from before came back in full swing. He had to fix this. “Colette-”

She then pulled at his tank top just slightly with her free hand. The movement had been so subtle, making his breath instantly leave him. “Do you remember Princess Hilda?”

The topic caught him off guard. “Um… who?”

Colette lowered her head even more, yet she didn’t back away. Instead she leaned more into him, pressing herself against his arm. The way she would do so when they sat in front of the campfire, too tired to keep their eyes open.

“The… princess from Tethe’alla? When we rescued her from…”

“Ohh.” Lloyd had to _really_ think back on that, all while Colette continued to touch him. “Yeah, I think so? Why?”

She didn’t look at him as she spoke, still pulling at the hem of his shirt playfully. Something about the action sent a thrill through him.

“I asked you… if you liked girls that were like her.” She averted her head away from him a bit more. “And then you talked about everyone else.”

He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t really recall the – oh. Oh wait, he could. Instantly, he winced at his past self.

“Ah, yeah, I… I’m sorry, I was just saying-”

“No, I’m not… I’m not mad at you,” Colette interrupted. She pressed against him even more. “I just wanted to let you know that… well… I can understand why you were angry with Zelos.”

Lloyd still had that urge to apologize again, which he never thought he’d be competing against Colette for. But he said nothing, seeing how she had more to say.

“I was really jealous of what you said…And, I was jealous whenever you were spending time with another girl for a while… even those who were our friends.” She took a shuddering breath as she continued to play with his shirt.

His other hand reached up to hers, twining their fingers together. Colette smiled.

“We weren’t even together, and I already didn’t want to share anyone with you.” She giggled lightly, but it was a nervous one. “So, don’t feel bad about before, please? Because I did the same and I did it worse. And… because I never told you what was bothering me at all. I would just act okay with it… Until Princess Hilda.”

For some reason, that moment had never registered with him – only the confusion of why Colette had gone off in a huff back then. He thought over her words and though he still felt a little bad, he was also, kind of excited? For her to feel like that about him…

_I just like that you feel so strongly about me!_

He pulled her into an embrace, slowly, one hand stroking her back. “Thanks, Colette. That honestly does make me feel better.”

Yet even after that, she was still looking away. Her eyes were rooted to his shirt, as if her gaze could pierce through the cotton. “Zelos knew about it.”

That had not been an expected turn in the conversation. “Uh, what?”

“He, um…” And it was here that she started to move too fast in her speech, words sometimes blurring together. It was only through so much time with her (and a clear view of her face) that he could even understand what she was saying. “He saw me being jealous over you and came over to help. I – I think. Well, he said it would help!”

It was hard not to be suspicious when Zelos was involved. “Help how?”

“He, um… he said, uh, we could pull a prank on her.” She paused for only a brief moment, leaving little room for Lloyd to interrupt. “Just a small one! I wasn’t sure, but he said, um… nobles do that a lot? I… I don’t think that’s true actually…” She paused again. “But he seemed so sure!”

Lloyd continued to listen in fascination as he held her in his arms. He now leaned against the right wall of his bedroom, the worktable just a foot or two on the side. Her weight felt more pronounced on him, relying on his hold to practically keep her up.

“So, um, we both went to visit her at the palace. Around when you and Genis had to get measured for the party clothes.”

“…Was Zelos planning for that?”

“And, he talked to her outside of her room, and that was when I was supposed to go inside!”

“Wow.”

“There were no guards near her, so we were really lucky! And her room was so big. It was hard to find it.”

“Wait, back up a sec.” He looked at her. “What were you looking for?”

Colette reflexively pushed back her hair from her face. Even in the dimness of his room, it still shone so very bright. “Her… shampoo. I was supposed to switch that out with something else Zelos gave me.”

The pieces finally fell into place. So _that_ was why the Princess’ hair was all purple-looking that day! He and everyone had been gathered in the King’s court, all ready to go to the party held in their honor…and the princess had been there, standing by the side and trying to cover most of her face with her fan. Huh. He just thought it was some weird Meltokio thing.

“I don’t know what I was thinking! I was so angry at her and she didn’t even do anything wrong!” Colette’s cries broke Lloyd from his reminiscing. She then buried her face in his chest.

“It’s okay! I mean, it’s not like her hair fell out or anything!” _Well, maybe._ If it did, it was probably after they all left Meltokio, but he decided not to voice this theory. “And, you really went through all that for me?”

She just made the smallest of nods. Her hands clung to the fabric of his clothing, lifting it up slightly from his stomach. “I was really jealous.”

Again, maybe he shouldn’t feel so giddy about it, but it made him hug her tighter. The night was quiet, with only the chirping of crickets from outside. The door to the balcony was still half-open, letting in the breeze.

They stayed like that for a while, the floor occasionally creaking from their shifting.

“I’m sorry for waking you up,” she said.

He sighed into her hair. “I wasn’t even sleeping yet, promise.”

Her fingers no longer curled into his shirt, now splayed against it instead. He felt the way she rubbed against his covered chest, the small movements enough to send his heart beating a little more.

“Um, do you wanna stay over? It’s getting kinda late.” He looked around his room. Did he have any spare blankets left? Zelos had insisted on taking a handful of them, complaining about the hard floors being bad for his back. He could probably just take some of them. Zelos can deal. “I can just sleep on the floor, it’s whatever.”

Colette raised her head, finally looking in to his eyes for the first time. They were bright and focused, and the intensity of her gaze squeezed at his chest. He wasn’t even aware when she leaned in to kiss him, but already his lips were on hers’, and the warmth of her mouth was such a contrast to the chilly air – a sensation that Lloyd found invigorating.

Her hands wandered, slipping underneath his shirt. The touch was thrilling, making him gasp. She fell more against him and he took all her weight gladly. His head felt fuzzy, engulfed by her sounds that he could just barely hear.

Both barely let any space between them exist. Her hips were placed against his, and his own hands had traveled down to her thighs, lifting her slightly towards him. He couldn’t think clearly enough, no forethought to what her movements, her touches, and her sounds were doing to him.

But then, again. He broke the kiss, trying to back away. He already felt her flinch. “Lloyd?”

It wasn’t like this was the first time she saw him like this, yet still he wanted to hide. Even in his loose pants for sleeping, it was too obvious. “Sorry.” Her hands were still on his chest, not making things any easier. But he also didn’t want her to stop. “It just…happens.”

He wasn’t sure what response he expected from her, but her hands sliding down his chest towards his waist had not been on his list of possibilities. Her movements were shy, yet even the brushing of her palm against the forefront of his pants was enough to make his hips buck.

His motion seemed to bring her back. “Should I not…?”

Lloyd wasn’t sure he could even speak. But his hands stayed on her, and it was enough for Colette to understand. Again, she reached out to him, and he kissed her in response. Another soft and wet sound, his voice hitching in tone as her fingers shifted underneath the waistband of his pants. It’s hard to understand bravery like this, for both of them. He kissed her deeply, moving from her lips to her chin, not wanting her to stop.

“Ngh, Colette…” he could only say, but the repetitive motions of her hand cut off his throat in the most pleasant of ways.

“Is it… okay that… I don’t want to share anyone with you?” She gripped him tight, breathing into his neck. “Or is that selfish of me again?”

His own hands tried to push past the barriers of her clothing to find skin. He felt goosebumps on her – from the chill outside, or the heat surrounding them both?

All he could do was shake his head. _Then I’m the same._

And that was why he loved traveling with her alone, both of them wandering the world, hands clasped and only her voice the one he would hear for days on end. Sometimes the plains stretched far into the horizon, with no villages in sight. Sometimes the forests were thick, barely letting other travelers pass through. It was times like those that he felt he and Colette were by themselves, cut off from everyone.

That wasn’t to say he disliked it when they met up with friends again; when they would visit Sheena in Mizuho, or run into Genis and Raine on the road to Sybak and tag along for part of the way, or when Zelos insisted on hanging around, spiking both nerves and smiles.

It was just hard to get used to other company again, to remember the world outside of them still existed.

Maybe that was wrong, after everything they’d been through. But there was a time when he chose Colette over the world, and it was something he felt he would do again in a heartbeat.

He crushed her to his chest in an embrace, her hand still on him, and her mouth seeking. The motion was sudden, and they both bumped against the worktable, rough enough for the objects on top to scatter to the floor. She was about to apologize again, but he didn’t let her. His tongue took over her mouth, and anything that could get her to make those sounds again was all that he wanted.

_I don’t want to share you with anyone._

He would never remember how they maneuvered to his bed. He had never let her go, and she still held him tight. For the rest, he could; finally stripping her of both overcoat and dress, his own hands moving to slide her leggings down to her feet, her mouth on his chest, and their hips moving in rhythm, connecting through sharp gasps and moans that called out for each other.

“I’m not sure I can let you go,” he whispered, shifting inside her in a mix of comfort and desperation. He had done so once, feeling her pulled away, voiceless, without even the ability to feel his hands anymore. It was a regret he still lived with, even now, her with him and her body full of sensations that could finally give her.

She gasped at each thrust, lips brushing against the curve of his ear. “I don’t want you to-” Another shift, and her moan moved in tandem to her words. He tried to bury his own sounds against her shoulder, but they kept sliding out of his mouth again and again.

He ignored that there were others still in this house, that Zelos was just underneath his room, and that the trees beyond Iselia forest housed a village that would always want to see them both, and a family that would call for Colette. For right now, it was just them both, alone in solitude, where he could be free to have her all to himself, and she with him.


End file.
